Bhajan - GURU CARAṆÕ MẼ AṚASAṬHA TĪRATHA HÃI - Translation
Translation
Original Line:
गुरु चरणों में अड़सठ तीरथ हैं । वो वेद पुराण गाते हैं ॥ टेर ॥
Roman Transliteration:
Guru caraṇoṃ meṃ aṛsaṭha tīratha haiṃ. Vo veda purāṇa gāte haiṃ. ॥ Ṭera ॥
Sentence-Level Translation:
It is sung in Vedas, and the Puranas: At the feet of the Guru are sixty-eight sacred places.
Deeper Explanation:
The line emphasises the sanctity and spiritual significance of the Guru. The Guru's feet are considered as holy as sixty-eight pilgrimage sites, underscoring their importance in spiritual practice. The Guru is also depicted as one who chants the Vedas and Puranas, indicating his mastery and connection to sacred knowledge. There are many holy places in India but 68 are considered very auspicious. One of the possible divisions is: 4 dham, 12 jyotrilings, and 52 shakti peeths. But there are many more. See Wikipedia.
Word-by-Word Translation:
- गुरु (guru): Guru, spiritual teacher
- चरणों (caraṇoṃ): Feet; symbolically represent the foundation of spiritual practice and humility.
- में (meṃ): In, at
- अड़सठ (aṛsaṭha): Sixty-eight
- तीरथ (tīratha): from तीर्थ tīrth [S.], Pilgrimage sites;
- In Hindu scriptures, tīrthas are categorised into three types:
- (1) Jangam (mobile): such as Brahmins and sadhus.
- (2) Manas (mental): such as truth, forgiveness, compassion, charity, contentment, celibacy, knowledge, patience, sweet speech, etc.
- (3) Sthavar (immovable): such as Kashi, Prayag, Gaya, etc. Adding 'raja', 'pati', or similar words to 'tīrtha' signifies Prayag, e.g., Tīrtharaja or Tīrthapati = Prayag.
- Hindu scriptures also prescribe head shaving, performing shraddha (ritual for ancestors), and feeding Brahmins when going to or returning from a tīrtha.
- The eighteen treasures of a nation: (1) Minister (2) Priest (3) Crown prince (4) King (5) Doorkeeper (6) Inner circle member (7) Jail warden (8) Treasurer (9) Administrator (10) Presenter (11) Mayor (12) Builder (13) Judge (14) Assembly head (15) Law enforcer (16) Fort keeper (17) Frontier protector (18) Forest warden.
- In Hindu scriptures, tīrthas are categorised into three types:
- हैं (haiṃ): Are
- वो (vo): He
- वेद (veda): Vedas
- पुराण (purāṇa): Puranas
- गाते (gāte): Sings
- हैं (haiṃ): Are
- टेर (ṭera): Refrain